


hearts like doors

by haladin



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-11 18:01:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17451761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haladin/pseuds/haladin
Summary: Nico’s name shows up when he’s four years old.  He doesn’t really remember it, but in the pictures in his mom’s photo albums it’s five shaky letters written in blue marker.  The N’s are backwards.





	hearts like doors

Nico’s name shows up when he’s four years old. He doesn’t really remember it, but in the pictures in his mom’s photo albums it’s five shaky letters written in blue marker. The N’s are backwards.

Nolan’s mark must have appeared not long after that. Nico’s mother made him practice his letters every day after his mark came in, and it was only a month or so before his very first “Nico” must have shown up on Nolan’s arm.

He’s eight when his mark switches from careful print to uneven cursive, the P too large and the top loop of the k too small. After that, it changes mostly too gradually for him to notice, until one day when he’s fifteen. Nolan must have decided to practice his signature, because it changes overnight from a fairly simple “Nolan Patrick” to a more stylized “N–– P–– 19”. 

When he wakes up, Nico spends a few minutes just tracing the new signature on his wrist. It’s the first time he thinks that maybe his Nolan is an athlete like him.

Two years later, when Nico makes the decision to move to Canada to play in the Q, it’s only a little bit because “Nolan Patrick” seems like it’s probably a North American name. He knows that if he and Nolan are meant to meet, they’ll meet, but he can’t help thinking– maybe.

–––

There’s a Nolan Patrick in the WHL who’s projected to go first overall in the draft.

Nico knows that he could get that Nolan’s number. The CHL isn’t all that large, and the Canadians all seem to know each other. 

He never asks. What would he say? For all that attitudes toward wrist names have changed, it would still be unbelievably forward to call a stranger out of the blue and ask “Do you have my name on your wrist?” 

And besides, Nolan Patrick is a more common name than Nico Hischier. Not by that much, but–

He never asks.

–––

Every time a reporter asks him about Nolan Patrick, his heart leaps into his throat. He tries to play it cool, especially in front of cameras, tries to act like Nolan couldn’t be anything other than a rival to him. For all that he’s trying to manage his expectations, trying not to get attached to a guy he doesn’t even know, he still has to stop himself from googling Nolan Patrick late at night.

He never looks to see what Patrick says when the reporters ask about him.

–––

When it comes out that Patrick won’t be able to play in the World Juniors because of injury, Nico tries not to feel disappointed. Switzerland and Canada aren’t even in the same group, so the odds of them playing against each other were slim to begin with. And again, what would he do, bring it up across the faceoff circle?

Switzerland loses to the United States in the quarterfinals anyway, so it was a moot point.

–––

As the season crawls along and he climbs further up the draft rankings, as more and more Nico or Nolan articles get written, he has to try harder and harder not to think about Patrick. When we’re meant to meet, we’ll meet, he repeats to himself in the middle of the night.

–––

It would be nice. To have a soulmate who gets it, who understands how he feels about hockey, who knows how hard he works, who could share every part of his life.

–––

He’s not getting attached.

–––

When the Top Prospects game finally rolls around, Nico almost can’t believe it. Either nine months or fourteen years of obsessing over Nolan Patrick, and this is how they’re finally going to meet.

At least the two of them are coming in early for photos and media stuff, so he knows they won’t be meeting on the ice. But that just means he fusses for ages over his clothes and his hair, spends the whole drive thinking about what to say, how to make a good first impression, how to bring it up.

In the end, it doesn’t matter.

–––

“Hey, I’m Nolan,” he says.

“I know,” Nico says, like an idiot. Nolan, thankfully, just laughs. “I mean, I’m Nico,” Nico says.

“I know,” Nolan echoes back. He has a nice smile, Nico thinks dazedly. He’s still grasping his hand.

They stand there for a moment, before Nico manages to get out “I think–” just as Nolan says, “Listen, can I–”

They both laugh a little, and Nolan looks down and finally lets go of his hand. It should be easier to think now that Nolan isn’t touching him, but– it isn’t, at all.

“You said ‘I know’,” Nolan says. He’s shoved his hands in his pockets, and he casts a glance at the photographers and coordinators milling about. “I don’t want to be rude, but… was it just a ‘you know of me’ thing or– or was it–”

His face is so open and vulnerable it makes Nico want to be brave, too. “No,” he says, “Not just that.”

“Oh,” Nolan says, smile spreading across his face. “Okay, then. Me too,” he says, and Nico had assumed, but that’s nothing like hearing him say it out loud.

“Oh,” Nico echoes him again, and reaches out to rest two fingers on the pale skin just above the end of his guard. The smile Nolan had been fighting breaks out over his face in earnest then, and Nico can feel himself smiling helplessly back.

–––

All through the photos Nico has to keep himself from glancing down at Nolan’s covered wrist. It’s too much, somehow, the standing on the ice, looking into each other’s eyes over the faceoff dot. The both of them keep breaking out into helpless giggles whenever they have to keep eye contact for too long, and Nico is sure they’re driving the photographer to distraction. But finally, finally they’re able to take off their jerseys and pick up their room keys. A woman offers to set up dinner for them, and Nolan casts a glance at Nico, who shakes his head once, and says, “No thank you, I’m sure we can figure something out,” and then they’re free.

–––

It somehow doesn’t really hit Nico until he follows Nolan through the hotel room door. He stops, frozen just inside the entryway while Nolan dumps his bag on the floor and his suit bag on the bed. Nolan turns to him and must pick up immediately on what he’s feeling because he strides over and reaches out, hand hovering inches away from Nico’s arm.

“It’s okay if you don’t–” he begins, and that’s enough. Nico is no less senselessly afraid, but he’s sure.

“No, I want to,” he says, and Nolan smiles at him again. It’s less wide and brilliant than before, but more open and soft. It makes Nico feel like a paper lantern, lit up from within.

“Okay,” Nolan says, and sits down on the far bed. Nico sits across from him. 

“Together?” he says.

“On three,” Nolan says.

It takes Nico a few seconds to get his guard off, eyes fixed on Nolan’s wrist instead of his own. But as soon as he sees the swoop of his N, he knows. Heart in his throat, he holds out his wrist so that their names are side by side.

“That’s mine,” Nolan says softly. “Is it–”

“Yeah,” Nico says, just as soft. “That’s me.”

Nico twists his hand so that his fingers are just brushing his name on Nolan’s wrist, and Nolan does the same. He can feel Nolan’s heart racing beneath his fingertips.

“Well then,” Nolan says, and Nico finally looks up to meet his eyes. He feels like right now, he could do anything in the world.

“Well,” he says, and leans forward to press his lips to Nolan’s.

–––

[ _image: Two signatures in black against a silver background. In the reflection you can see the blurred figures of two boys, one with dark hair taking the picture, and one with light hair looking over his shoulder._ ]

Rivalry to Romance: Top Prospects of the 2017 Draft Are Changing the Narrative

As part of the NHL Draft Festivities, the NHL Centennial Fan Arena has taken up residence in the parking lot across the street from the United Center.

The traveling exhibit, which visited Dallas back in January, is miniature hockey Hall of Fame on wheels.

Century old skates worn by Georges Vezina hang on the wall near sticks from each NHL era. Original jerseys from the Cleveland Barons and California Golden Seals are on display in one exhibit, while there are interactive videos centered around the Stanley Cup.

At the end of the exhibit there’s a silver board that guests are asked to sign before exiting the trailer. Those guests in Chicago included top prospects Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier.

Patrick and Hischier each signed the board, but with a twist.

Hischier signed as Patrick, adding a No. 19 to the signature for perceived authenticity. Patrick signed as Hischier, mimicking the Swiss center’s signature by signing off with a No. 13.

If the signatures seemed remarkably authentic, it’s for good reason. The two have been staring at each other’s names for going on fifteen years now, although they definitely weren’t always this polished.

“Oh yeah,” Hischier says, grinning. “His first name, the N’s were backwards.”

Patrick immediately objects, though he’s laughing. “Okay, but who wrote their name first? I really put myself out there–”

“You were four!” Hischier protests.

“–and all I’m getting is grief,” Patrick says on top of Hischier.

If I didn’t know better, I would think the two have known each other for years. Their story has been well publicized since they chose to reveal that they are soulmates, by publications ranging from teen magazines to professional hockey writers. Although everyone seems to feel compelled to offer their thoughts on what their relationship means for their careers, Hischier and Patrick profess not to care.

“I mean, we haven’t been really listening to any of that,” Patrick says. “We’ve been trying to stay relatively unplugged, focus on preparing ourselves for the draft.” He speaks in the first person plural easily. It might just be the habit of a longtime captain, but it seems unselfconsciously affectionate here.

When I ask if they have any preferences on teams, they exchange a glance before Hischier speaks up. “It’s a huge honor to be drafted to the NHL,” Hischier says. “Whoever ends up drafting us, we will of course want to play our best for them.” 

“Would it be nice to go one-two to New Jersey and Philadelphia? Yes, absolutely,” he continues. “But no matter where we go, we will continue to work hard and push ourselves to succeed.”

Patrick has obviously been waiting for Hischier to finish his answer. “Speaking of Jersey and Philly,” he says, and Hischier groans.

“No,” he says, already laughing.

“Nico had no idea where the cities were,” Patrick says, clearly relishing the chance to get Hischier back for his earlier ribbing about Patrick’s penmanship.

“That’s not true!” Hischier protests. “I knew they were both in the Eastern Conference, and that they are–” he gestures vaguely “–in the north.”

“I was like, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to only be an hour and a half away from each other?’ and he was like, ‘What?!’” Patrick says. 

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Hischier says. “What if I quizzed you on Swiss geography, huh? I bet you don’t even know where Naters is.”

“Joke’s on you,” Patrick says. “It’s in the south, kind of near the border with Italy.” Hischier is visibly surprised. Patrick only lords it over him for a moment before relenting. “I don’t know anything about European geography,” he admits. “I only know that from when I was googling you.”

“Oh,” Hischier says, smiling a little. I clear my throat and they look away from each other and down at the tablecloth. I can’t see, but I would bet my next paycheck that they’re holding hands under the table.

This moment is a good reminder that for all their professionalism under the media spotlight, these are two teenagers in love. They say that despite their intensely competitive natures (almost a prerequisite for a professional athlete), they will be happy for and proud of each other no matter what happens on draft day. 

It’s a classic media-trained response, but I think I believe them. While the teams at the top of the draft board are pondering the question of Nico or Nolan, it’s clear that for these two, it’s Nico and Nolan, all the way.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in like 3 hours and it is absolutely unedited, so if you see any mistakes, let me know!
> 
> This fic was 100% inspired by [Nolan Patrick's hearteyes](https://soft-hockeybros.tumblr.com/post/162690315812/can-you-believe-nolan-patrick-invented-heart-eyes). Has it been a year and a half since the 2017 draft? Yes. Am I over it? Not even a little bit.
> 
> The fake article at the end of the fic quotes a large chunk of [this real article](https://theupsetsports.com/projected-top-picks-nico-hischier-and-nolan-patrick-enjoying-draft-experience/) by Sean Shapiro! Pretty much anything that wasn't about Nico & Nolan being gross and in love was taken from that article. Sorry, Sean.
> 
> Edited to add: [aaaahhhhhhhh! AAAAAHHHHHHHH!](http://turbolainen.tumblr.com/post/182116269135/friendly-rivals)


End file.
